Small Business Guide to Intellectual Property Workshop

Presenters:
Russ Slifer - Rocky Mountain USPTO, Director
Craig Morris - USPTO, Managing Attorney for Trademark Outreach
Topics:
• How trademarks, copyrights, patents, domain name registrations all differ.
• Critical factors to select a trademark that will be both federally registered and legally protectable
• The importance of doing a complete search and whether an attorney should be used.
• What may happen if another trademark owner believes it has stronger rights in a mark and issues a “cease-and-desist” letter.
• What the USPTO does in the federal registration process and how to avoid “scams” perpetrated by companies that request fees for services not required by the USPTO.
• Intellectual Property Basics for inventors and small businesses
• Understanding the Patent System
• Resources offered by the USPTO
• Introduction to the new USPTO regional office